Textile combing machines



April 4, 1961 s. E. EDFoRs 2,977,642

TEXTILE COMBINE MACHINES Filed April 28, 1958 `the `sliver for the combing operation.

nited teg TEXTILE COMBING MACHINES Sven E. Edfors, Saco, Maine, assignor to Saco-Lowell Shops, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Maine Filed Apr. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 731,209

7 Claims. (Cl. 19-116) This invention relates to textile combing machines.

In a cotton processing operation, sliver is produced by.

is suitable for the preparation of the desired quality of yarn. then is formed into a sliver for combing and then is fed into the combing machine. The sliver is then se- The material from the card is first drawn andcurely clamped and a group of needles are passed through i l previously combed fibers and detached from yet unp combed liber.

In the conventional comber the combing needles are positioned in a vhalf-lap on the periphery of the half-lap cylinder. By means of slow-motion picture studies of the combing operation it has been found that the halflap cylinder revolves at a rate sufficiently high to create air turbulence `in the vicinity of the sliver. This turbulencefis particularly significant as the needles approach the clamped sliver, and it causes the free end of the sliver to be forced away from the combing needles such that the contact therewith is not complete. This is probably due in part to the velocity of the needles and the cylinder and also to the angle of incidence ofthe leading edge of the group of needles. As it is essential to remove as many of the short fibers and other unwanted material as possible Yin order to achieve a high quality sliver any such tendency to impair the eliiciency of the combing operation is undesirable.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide means whereby the eliiciency of the combing operation is increased.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the sliver to be combed is placed in intimate relation with the combing needles and is maintained there throughout the combing operation.l

The -invention provides means whereby the free end of the clamped sliver is urged towards the combing needles as they .approach the sliver such that a highly efficient combing action is achieved. In the preferred embodiment this Yresult is accomplished by the application of a pressure differential in the vicinity of the leading edge of the needle group as the half-lap approaches This aspirator system of the comber is utilized as a source of reduced pressure. A passageway is provided within the half- `lap cylinder and valve means `are provided which open .leading edge` ofthe .needle'group In the preferred `embdiment the peripheral velocity of the half-lap cylinder pt, ICC

is cyclically varied by -means of elliptical gearing such that its maximum velocity occurs as the needles are moved through the sliver. The valve means includes a pivoted counter-weight which is swung outwardly by the increased centrifugal force as the half-lap needles approaches the sliver. This opens the passageway such that suction draws the sliver beard downward toward the needles. When the velocity of the half-lap decreases the centrifugal force is reduced and the counter-weight pivots to close the valve mechanism, thus cutting olf air flow through the passageway during other portions "of the rotation of the half-lap cylinder. Through use of the principles of this invention a greater portion of the sliver is acted upon throughout the combing operation than has heretofore been possible. Certain other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be understood as the following description of the preferred `embodiment, in conjunction with the drawing, progresses.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a view of a combing apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrating the elliptical gearing and the combing elements;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the halfelap cylinder incorporating the principles of the invention according to the preferred embodiment thereof and showing the valve mechanism in its open position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the half-lap cylinder similar to that view shown in Fig. 2 but with the cylinder in rotated position such that the valve mechanism is in closed position; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the half-lap cylinder along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In the conventional double sided combing machine structure a plurality of combing units are mounted in two rows back to back as indicated in Fig. l. The general principles of operation of each unit may be understood from that ligure. The feed roll 10 rotates to feed a predetermined amount of lap to the cushion plate 12. The nipper knife 14 then begins to move downward toward the cushion plate and closes upon the lap `until the beard 16 is tightly clamped. After this occurs, the needles 18 mounted on the cylinder 20 are passed through the beard in a combing operation (as shown in the left unit-Fig. lf). Immediately after the last row of needles has been passed through the beard the nipper knife 14 starts to rise and the nipper unit advances towards the detaching rolls 22. At the same time the detaching rolls rotate to feed the combed sliver 24 held therein back toward the nipper unit such that the fringe of newly combed fibers may be pieced onto the web of combed fibers (this piecing action is shown in the right hand unit-Fig. l). The rotation of the detaching rolls is then reversed and although the nipper unit is still moving forward, the detaching rolls accelerate so that the newly pieced sliver is drawn through the top comb which removes such impurities and short fibers as may be left in the sliver after the half-lap needles have done their work. When the nipper has reached its extreme forward position the detaching rolls continue to rotate forward while the nipper reverses, thus `completing the detaching. As soon as detaching is completed the detaching rollers stop but the nipper frame continues to move toward the back stop thus preparing to repeat the cycle.

The combing operation is then repeated in the same manner with the next portion of the lap. The comb .26 is self-cleaning `and the needles 18 which remove the impurities and short fibers from the sliver are cleaned mechanically by the aspirator brush 28 which revolves in the same direction but at a faster rate than the associated halflap cylinder.

These are conventional combing operations Well known in the art. In the comber structure of the preferred embodiment the half-lap cylinders are driven by elliptical gearing. Gears 30 and 32 are circular gears which have their shafts positioned eccentrically. Gear shafty 34 and its gear 30 rotates at a constant speed but gear 32 is driven by gear 30 at a varying speed and thus the speed of the half-lap shaft 36 will alternately speed up and slow down in a manner similar to simple harmonic motion. The group of needles (half-lap) 18 is located on the periphery of the cylinder 20 at a point such that they are passing through the beard 16 when the cylinder is moving at increasing velocity (as shown in the left hand unit-Fig. l) and conversely the needle group is moving at decreasing velocity when the aspirator brush 28 is Vremoving the noil from the needles (right hand unit-Fig.

l). The highest speed of the half-lap is reached during combing to reduce its time requirement.

The construction of the half-lap cylinder according to the preferred embodiment of the invention may be understood with reference to Fig. 2. As is well known, the half-lap 18 consists of a multiplicity of needles mounted Vin a plurality of rows along a portion of its periphery.

Each row of needles is soldered in a needle bar 38. The needles in each succeeding row increase in fineness and are spaced more closely together. The passageway 40, provided through the cylinder 20 and defined by walls 41, 42, has one opening 43 in the surface of the cylinder adjacent the leading row of needles of the half-lap and its other opening 44 disposed in the opposite surface of the cylinder beyond the trailing edge of the half-lap. The passageway `40 extends substantially the axial length of the cylinder and is preferably gradually tapered from opening 44 towards opening 43. Surrounding the entire lower portion of the combing machine, as shown in Fig. 1, is a casing, comprised of members 46, 48 and 50, which encloses an area connected to the aspirator vacuum system (not shown).

When the half-lap cylinder 20 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 passageway 4i) is open and the differential between atmospheric pressure at opening 43 and the vacuum at opening 44 causes a flow of air through the passageway. As the opening 43 s, at this time, substantially aligned with the beard 16, there is a tendency for that beard to be drawn downward toward the passageway and thus it is positioned such that substantially the entire beard will be engaged by the first row of needles. In this manner, the bouncing of the beard over the first rows of needles, which occur in combing structures of the prior art, is substantially avoided and a more thorough and therefore more efficient combing operation is provided.

Thus, a very simple structure is provided which permits the application of a pressure differential in the vicinity of the leading edge of the half-lap at the instant when the half-lap is about to engage the beard.

It isnecessary, however, to insure that this pressure differential does not adversely affect other operations in the combing process. For example, an excessive flow of air across the sliver during the piecing or detaching operation might impair that operation. Therefore the passageway 40 is preferably closed during times other than when the leading edge of the half-lap is about to engage the sliver beard. In order to accomplish this a portion of the passageway wall 41 includes a flexible sheet member 52 which is secured to wall 41 and rests against portion 53 when the passageway is in an open'condition. A supporting plate 54, attached to the flexible member 52, is pinned to a connecting member 56 at one end thereof. The other end of the connecting member is pinned to a counter-weight '53 which is pivotably mounted for rotation about pin 60. The valve member (member 52) is biased into its closed position by a spring 62 which is attached to the connecting member S6. Thus, the passageway is closed by the flexible member 52 engaging the wall 42, as shown in TFig. 3, when the half-lap cylinder 20 is at rest or when it is in the positions shown in the right hand portion of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 3.

As the cylinder is rotated it is accelerated toward the position of Fig. 2 and this acceleration, together with the force of gravity, tends to cause the counterweight 58 to rotate about its pivot 60 in an outward direction and pull the flexible member S2, through member 56, to the open position as shown in Fig. 2. Thus, the passageway 4t) is opened, permitting ow of air therethrough. The interrelationship of the various parts of the valving mechanism may be also seen in Fig. 4.

It is thus seen that the preferred embodiment of the invention provides an improved combing structure in which pressure is applied adjacent the leading edge of the half-lap such that the fibers in the beard to be combed are urged into engagement with the first needle row to provide a more effective combing action than heretofore has been possible. The effect of the pressure differential at other positions of the combing cycle is avoided by providing a valving mechanism within the half-lap structure which operates in a simple and uncomplicated manner. The source of pressure utilized (the aspirator system) and its associated housing members are portions of the conventional comber. Thus, it is seen that the preferred embodiment requires only a comparatively simple modification of the half-lap cylinder structure in order to provide this improved result. Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, certain modifications thereof will be obvious to one skilled in the art and it is not intended that the invention be limited to the preferred embodiment or to all details thereof and departures may be made therefrom within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a textile combing machine, a half-lap structure having a multiplicity of needles in a group thereon, means to position sliver adjacent said half-lap, means to move said half-lap relative to said sliver in a combing action during a portion of the machine cycle and means for applying a reduced air pressure to the leading edge portion of said sliver to urge said sliver in more intimate contact with the needles of said half-lap during said combing action.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim l wherein said means for applying a reduced pressure includes means associated with said half-lap structure which enables the application of said reduced pressure to said sliver adjacent the leading edge of said needle group.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further including valve means adapted to render said means for applying a reduced pressure operative immediately before and during said combing action and inoperative during another portion of the machine cycle.

4. In a textile combining machine, a half-lap cylinder including a half-lap mounted thereon, said half-lap having a multiplicity of needles on a plurality of rows which extend substantially the axial length of said cylinder, means to position sliver adjacent said half-lap, means to rotate said half-lap cylinder past said sliver such that said needles pass through said sliver in a combing action, a passageway in said cylinder, said passageway having an opening at the leading edge of said half-lap, said opening extending along the cylinder substantially the entire axial length of said half-lap, and means for applying a reduced pressure to said passageway to apply said reduced pressure to said sliver to urge said sliver into more intimate contact with the needles of said half-lap during said combing action.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and further including valve means associated with said cylinder, said valve means adapted to apply reduced pressure to said passageway immediately before and during the combing action and to isolate said passageway from said source during another portion of the'machine cycle.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said cylinder is driven at a varying speed through each revolution by means of elliptical gearing and said valve means operates in response to changes in speed of said cylinder.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said 5 valve means includes a counter-weight element adapted to be actuated by centrifugal force as the speed of said cylinder increases, said counter-weight element being adapted to actuate said valve means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

